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[mommydama]

So I'm losing my little charge to a live in nanny by the New Year and it is breaking my heart and causing a major "what the heck do I do now" crises for me. I watched her full time for a year and am attached as all get out and love her to death and was really hoping she'd stay until preschool and on top of that MONEY. Panic. So, choices. I could

Comments

[viggorlijah]

Pray on it, and I'll pray with you. One of my sisters did a home daycare when her kids were younger, and while the money wasn't great, she loved the flexibility and her kids had friends and learned to get along with different types and ages. About five years ago, she went back to school part-time and now she works as a pharm rep and is financially pretty damn good for a single mom with two teens. One choice now doesn't close off the other choices later.

I know exactly what you mean about circumstances and trying to decide what brings the most joy to the most people - I feel like my to-do list should be an algebra equation for all the figuring out half an hour to this kid, but then I need to pay that bill, but if I volunteer to do that, I won't be able to do this - every choice seems to hurt someone.

If you figure out the solution, write it up and share. I admire how you balance three different kids' parenting and homeschool with your own work and life.

[mommydama]

Thank you for the prayers. I truly appreciate them. And yes, this balancing/juggling act we parents do is quite the feat. An impossible one most of the time I'm afraid.

[aelf]

My mom has taught preschool since she sent me off to 1st grade and she adores it.

I don't know how much money you need to bring in, so teaching preschool might not work for you. But one of the benefits is my mom basically works from 9:30-noon. That's time that older children (like yours) can be doing self directed work, either at home or in a quiet space at the preschool.

Daycare in your home would likely pay more.

[altarflame]

This isn't a bad idea. Depending on where you go, you can also do preschool from more like 8 to 3, because so many preschools now offer before and after care and/or full day options. But if it's only the half day, I can totally imagine the girls being fine working on their own for that little bit of time in the mornings.

And Dama has a degree so maybe she could get in at a "fancy" preschool and get paid more. I know someone who was kinda raking in money teaching (Reggio Emilio or whatever) preschool!

[mommydama]

I have fantasizes about starting my own home based, waldorfy preschool all the time. Tromping through fields with a troop of wee people draped in play silk capes, collecting treasures and arranging them on our nature table, pressing flowers and leaves in our nature notebooks, coloring with bees wax crayons, raising caterpillars and frogs, making sandpaper letters and learning poems about colors and seasons. Such a sweet, fun dream. I'd need some serious funds to pull that one off though.

[orthodoxmom]

I'm sorry to hear of your dilemma. I hope things work out for you and that you will find a happy solution soon. Perhaps there are some toddlers of some homeschool moms you could watch on a few days for a little extra cash?? I'm not sure of your total situation since I"m not on here much. But I do understand your concerns and hope things turn out. Don't throw in the towel though.... I'm sure if you put your mind to it you can find something to make it all work. Best wishes!

[mommydama]

In Kansas, if you watch a child who is not a relative for more than 10 hours a week you must be certified. Not looking forward to that process.

[braja]

That's a bummer. Here, you only have to be certified if you watch more than 1 family of children...